Madeira car rental comparison

HAPPYCAR is here to help you find the best deal on a rental car for your holiday in Madeira. HAPPYCAR the online comparison portal is here to help you find the best car hire for your needs. We check the prices of international and local providers so that you don’t have to check each website to provide you with the best deals on a car hire to make your money go further on a rental car that fits your specific needs. You have the options of choosing car size, pick up location and type of insurance to ensure you get the best deal on a great car hire!

General Information

Madeira is located about 250 miles north of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Popular year round resort destination visited yearly by over one million tourists. It is a one and a half hour flight to the island from the mainland in Portugal. The island is famous for its mild climate that has a spring like temperature year round. The island has the biggest firework display in the world and was sin the Guinness Book of World Records in 2007. The geographic features of the area include volcanoes, mountains, and forested areas. The name Madeira is derived from the Portuguese word meaning wood. The previous volcanic activity on the island left the land extremely fertile and provided excellent conditions to grow a subtropical rainforest. This is the reason for the name of the islands. Only portions of the forest, Laurisilva, remain but are now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The northern parts of the islands are largely rural areas where bananas, sugarcane and Madeira Wine are produced. The southern parts of the islands are where most of the hotels and tourist areas can be found.

Excursions

Madeira is the perfect travel destination for a car hire from HAPPYCAR. There are many interesting destinations only a few hours from the city center. Why not spend a day cruising the miles of white sandy coastline to find the perfect location to have a relaxing picnic on the beach. Faro and Lisbon are also not too far away, and make for enjoyable weekend getaways.

Volcanism Centre & Caves of São Vicente has organized and guided cave tours that last about 30 minutes. Small lakes with crystal clear water and larger chambers are seen in the tour. The São Vicente caves were formed by a volcanic eruption nearly nine hundred thousand years ago at Paúl da Serra there are eight lava tubes that you can explore. The tunnels are more than 1,000 meters in length and average 5.6 meters tall. 

Typical Madeiran Markets are open Monday through Saturday. They are an important part of the cultural where you can find locally grown fruits, vegetables, and flowers as well as fresh fish and meat. You can also buy local products like clothing and toys. They are a great way to experience the energy of the city.

Funchal is a modern and clean capital city. It is a great car trip from Madeira. It is newly rejuvenated with top class restaurants and 5-star hotels. The city is sits with majestic views of the blue waters of the Atlantic and as well as views of the verdant mountains. Funchal is located in the south of Madeira nestled among banana plantations and flower gardens which bloom year round. The city has a relaxed island style atmosphere with a wide variety of nightlife. This capital city is a main port for cruise ships crossing through the Atlantic. Funchal has many outdoor activities to help you make memorable experiences during your visit. The most popular activities are diving, surfing, spending the day at sea whale watching, and hiking through the eucalyptus smelling woods of the mountains.

Cuisine

Drinks: Madeira wine, Poncha is produced with locally grown cane sugar which is turned into pure alcohol called Aduardente. Honey and lemon are added to flavor the drink. Ginjinha is a cherry brandy that is been made for centuries in the Valley of the Nuns. It is a common aperitif.

Sweets: Bolo de Mel or honey cake, it is a rich cake with a strong sweet aroma. The strongest flavors are almond, walnut, and sugar cane. It is traditionally a Christmas treat but due to its popularity is now common year round.

Traditional meat dishes: Espetada which consists of tender, marinated chunks of local beef smothered in garlic, salt and pieced with a bay leaf.

Whatever you choose to do on your vacation with your car hire, HAPPYCAR wishes you a pleasant journey!